SAN ANTONIO — A Kenedy police officer who had been skeptical of the coronavirus vaccines is now sharing the story of his month-long battle with COVID-19 hoping to inspire people to get the shot.
“COVID took a toll on my body,” Luis Garcia commented, as his occupational therapist removed the 2-pound weights from his wrists.
“Not as strong as I used to be,” he said.
Luis is near the end of a long road. The 29-year-old Kenedy police officer and Marine veteran tested positive for COVID-19 in early July, shortly after his wife. She only had mild symptoms; Luis was not so lucky.
“My wife was telling me that I began to hallucinate, I was talking to things that weren’t there, yelling,” he said. “So, she called the ambulance, and she had me transported there to the hospital there in Floresville. And they transported to Southwest General.”
From there, he was transferred to Brooke Army Medical Center so he could get on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, a medical device that acted as his heart and lungs.
“I was at a state very, almost, like I said, near death. And they told my father, ‘He needs the ECMO machine. It’s not a guarantee he’ll live, but it gives him a 40% chance,’” Luis said.
Luis was sedated for most of his time there and says he doesn’t remember much beyond the faint voices of his family telling him to push on.
“I was transferred there on July 15 and I didn’t wake up 'til August,” he said. “When I woke up, I had machines taped down my throat. It was just a nightmare, but I am happy and lucky to be alive right now.”
He was moved to Methodist Texsan Hospital for rehab and physical therapy, and he’s scheduled to be discharged on Monday. Going into the Labor Day weekend, there’s a message he hopes everyone takes to heart.
“Keep your distance, wear your masks, and get vaccinated. At least the vaccination, I know a lot of people don’t believe in it. I didn’t in the beginning, but now that I look back, I feel like it gives me a fighting chance.”